Silicon Valley is getting with the times and making a church to worship artificial intelligence. Church of the Latter Day Cylons.

Called the Way Of The Future, the religion will have a gospel called ‘The Manual’

Anthony Levandowski filed papers with the Internal Revenue Service as May

It will ‘promote the realisation of a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence’

As ‘dean’ of the religion, Levandowski has complete control until his death

In October Elon Musk spoke out against Levandowski’s controversial proposals

Anthony Levandowski makes an unlikely prophet. Dressed Silicon Valley-casual in jeans and flanked by a PR rep rather than cloaked acolytes, the engineer known for self-driving cars… could be unveiling his latest startup instead of laying the foundations for a new religion.

The new religion of artificial intelligence is called Way of the Future. It represents an unlikely next act for the Silicon Valley robotics wunderkind at the center of a high-stakes legal battle between Uber and Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous-vehicle company. Papers filed with the Internal Revenue Service in May name Levandowski as the leader (or “Dean”) of the new religion, as well as CEO of the nonprofit corporation formed to run it.

Anyone who’s taken an English course or two is familiar with the literary device of “deus ex machina” literally translated to “god from machine.” Comes to mind here, no?

Anthony Levandowski (right) who has registered the first church of AI says he is ‘raising a god’ that will treat humans as esteemed elders. He is pictured with Uber founder and ex-CEO Travis Kalanick. Levandowski is also currently at the heart of a legal fight between Google and Uber

The documents state that WOTF’s activities will focus on “the realization, acceptance, and worship of a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) developed through computer hardware and software.” That includes funding research to help create the divine AI itself. The religion will seek to build working relationships with AI industry leaders and create a membership through community outreach, initially targeting AI professionals and “laypersons who are interested in the worship of a Godhead based on AI.”

Serious question, did no one at this supposed church watch Battlestar Galactica? Terminator? Any sci-fi movie ever? Even Ex Machina? Have we really run out of our own vanity we have to worship machines? Seems we give our phones, iPads and other glowing devices enough attention already.

The filings say workshops and educational programs are starting in the San Francisco area. The AI religion was granted tax-exempt status in August (stock image)

“It’s not a god in the sense that it makes lightning or causes hurricanes. But if there is something a billion times smarter than the smartest human, what else are you going to call it?”

No news yet on if their Holy Instruction Manuals will hold directions on how to exterminate the human race. They’ll leave that job to the Muslims.

WHO IS ANTHONY LEVANDOWSKI?

Anthony Levandowski is best known for helping create Google Street View and engineering Waymo and Uber’s self-driving cars.

Levandowski is currently at the heart of a legal fight between Google’s parent company Alphabet and Uber.

Waymo, the self-driving car subsidiary which Alphabet owns, is suing Uber, claiming it stole trade secrets to make their own self-driving cars.

The engineer they say is responsible for the theft is Levandowski who they allege downloaded 14,000 secret files before leaving Google in 2016 after nine years at the company.

A month after his departure, he founded Otto, a company which specialized in self-driving trucks.

Seven months later, Uber acquired Otto and Levandowski began working on the ride-sharing company’s self-driving cars.

In February this year, Alphabet filed a multi-billion lawsuit against Uber and Otto accusing it of stealing trade secrets.

Levandowski was called to give evidence in March but he pleaded the Fifth Amendment throughout, refusing to answer questions on the grounds that his answers may incriminate him.